I broke my rod this past weekend otherwise I would have joined everyone at the clave. All I had as a backup was a five weight and it was hardly a match for schoolies never mind FA's.

Anyway I called Gloomis and they have a new policy, if it wasn't broken due to a manufacturing defect they charge you $45.00 for a new one, ship it 2nd day air at their expense and provide return postage for you to send your rod back to them. Since this break was obviously my fault (actually my wife's, she stacked the beach chairs on top of it), and I want to fish again as soon as possible, I didn't argue.

It seems to be a good deal but the past two times I broke my rod they sent me a new one at no charge and now they suddenly changed what I had understood to be an unlimited warranty. Does anyone remember GLoomis's old warranty (around 1993)?

Now that I know the value of a backup rod I'm going to get another. I would think that St Croix or Redington offer warranties that are the same as this one while their rods are much cheaper. Does this new type of warranty justify the high prices we pay for the rods?